The gas pipeline explosions in Greater Kaohsiung’s Cianjhen (前鎮) and Lingya (苓雅) districts exposed several serious issues, such as the lack of distinction between central and local government authority and accountability, mismanagement of underground pipelines, confusion over corporate social responsibility and ethics, and the question of whether the government has the nation’s best interests at heart.
The incident highlighted the absence of clear divides between central and local government authority, accountability and competence. The lack of competence within the Greater Kaohsiung Government also reflects the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) lack of competence.
A government’s ability to govern consists of several key elements: professionalism, the ability to communicate, and leadership and administration. In this era of internationalization, globalization and information, government leaders must have a professional skill set that includes basic knowledge, an understanding of international affairs and a broad vision.
The DPP’s rise and growth were based on its push for the nation’s democratization. Despite its passion, the party’s first generation of leaders lacked professionalism, the ability to communicate, and leadership and administrative abilities. Unfortunately, most of its second and third-generation leaders also lack these skills, and this is the party’s biggest problem. Although the rise of DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is likely to partially remedy the problem, the party still has to overcome its populist, even anti-intellectual, orientation, or it will have no hope in the future.
In comparison, the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) leaders possess professionalism.
However, it must improve its administrative abilities and leadership. Also, it has a lack of love for the nation, which has led to recent government malfunctions and corruption cases.
The same applies to businesses, which should take social responsibility, especially publicly traded corporations and those closely related to the public’s safety as well as the nation’s political and economic development.
The upcoming generation of the nation’s business leaders share certain characteristics: many of them studied overseas, receiving a Western education, in particular, in technical and management training, holding dual nationalities, with most of their families residing abroad.
They are competent elites with sound business acumen, still, they have to develop a love for the land and their companies must show greater social responsibility.
The performance of TransAsia Airways and LCY Chemical Corp has been disappointing, and the second-generation business elites’ lack of love for the nation has played a key factor in this. This is something that must change right away.
Public participation is important in a democracy, but in practice the country is manipulated by political and business elites.
Today, national development no longer depends on one or two individuals; rather it is political and business elites who are crucial to national competitiveness, future national direction and public welfare. They must remain humble and constantly review and improve themselves to create greater happiness for the country and its people.
They should reduce the risk of disaster and improve crisis management while taking an active approach to aiding the government’s ability to rule and strengthen the social responsibility of businesses. This is the only way to put the country back on the right track.
Lin Chia-cheng is a former minister of examinations.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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